Mandy's Musings

Saturday, 21 September 2013

At Last I Have Moved to Cornwall!

Well, we only went and did it! After years of talking about moving to the wonderful county of Cornwall, we are here. Not just my husband and I, (gawd I sound like the queen), but our daughter and family and soon, my parents (both in their mid 80s ) will hopefully make the journey from Bristol too.

I first came here when I was four - about 40 years ago (okay and the rest) and we stayed in Looe. I have vivid memories of running down a very steep hill from our little chalet on the cliff to the beach with my brother every day. When it was time for breakfast, mum would hang a red towel out of the window and we would go back. I also remember walking along a quayside - not sure which one now, and seeing a row of sharks hanging on hooks. There was a big sign saying words to the effect of, 'Do Not Touch The Sharks -Skin Abrasive. So, what did I do? Yes, and I grazed my finger.

Over the years I have returned on numerous occasions. I just seemed to feel at home in Cornwall and adored the Atlantic north coast in particular. It is more rugged, wild and - breathtakingly beautiful of course. I do love Falmouth though, especially pootling around the shops there. I feel so lucky now as I never really thought that I would live near the ocean here, despite my endless dreaming.

Newquay

Falmouth High Street

We are about six miles in from Newquay and can just see the sea across the fields out of the bedroom window.

Okay, yes, I would have liked to have bought an old cottage overlooking the ocean, but wouldn't everyone? Our new house is exactly that - brand new. It is small, but perfectly formed and it is beginning to feel more like home with every passing week. There are a few drawbacks, like every time we want to go anywhere we get stuck behind a tractor or a tanker, and the shops we took for granted back in Bristol are at least twenty minutes away, but I think I can put up with that!

The internet took an age to set up , but that was the fault of BT not the signal! Four weeks without it nearly killed me (slight exaggeration), no Twitter or Facebook meant I felt totally out of it. But every cloud has a silver lining, because I used my enforced exile from the outside world to finish my sequel to A Stitch in Time. My next novel, Somewhere Beyond The Sea is out in April and set in the fictional Cornish town of Kellerston. It's weird to think that I was still dreaming of moving when I finished it back in April, and we managed to achieve it by August.

I am sure that this inspirational place will provide more ideas for future books. My next purchase will be a new notebook to take to my favourite beach (Mawgan Porth 15 mins away) just in case I get a new idea or two.

Mawgan Porth

I do realise I am so lucky to be living where I feel most at home, but my recent experience of trying to get published has taught me some valuable lessons. If you believe in yourself and really want something to happen - work bloody hard for it, be determined, never give up... and now and again, it does.

I love Cornwall, after spending my childhood there I finally took my own children to Looe this summer, they loved it as much as I had and still do. Very jealous! Enjoy it and send some laidback Cornish vibes back up the motorway for those of us choking in the cities! :-)